Alumni

See how LLS alumni are applying skills from their fellowship and continuing to work in the areas of laboratory leadership, quality, safety and applied research.

Stephen Lavoie

Nicolle Baird, PhD
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology

Christine Lee

Erik Kopping PhD
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Kaitlin Mitchell

Gul Mustafa, PhD, MSc
CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Division of Bacterial Diseases

Muktha Natrajan

Maureen Ty, PhD, MSc
Dallas County Health and Human Services

David Payne

Brian Wakeman, PhD
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of High Consequence Pathogens and Pathology

Stephen Lavoie

Stephen LaVoie, PhD
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion

Christine Lee

Christine Lee, PhD
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases

Kaitlin Mitchell

Kaitlin Mitchell, PhD, MPH
CDC Center for Global Health
Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria

Muktha Natrajan

Muktha Natrajan, PhD, MPH
CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Division of Bacterial Diseases

David Payne

David Payne, PhD
District of Columbia DFS Public Health Laboratory

Jessica Prince-Guerra

Jessica Prince-Guerra, PhD
CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Division of Viral Diseases

Learn about Jessica’s work on the Featured Stories page.

Shelby Chastain

Shelby Chastain, PhD
Quality Manager & Lead
QMS and CLIA Compliance Unit, Infectious Disease Pathology Branch
Division of High Consequences Pathogens and Pathology
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Amanda Hott

Amanda Hott, PhD
International Unit Lead
Bacterial Meningitis Laboratory, Meningitis and Vaccine Preventable Diseases Branch
Division of Bacterial Diseases
CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Jesica Jacobs

Jesica Jacobs, PhD
CDC Jurisdictional COVID-19 Field Assignee
Massachusetts State Public Health Laboratory

Learn about Jesica’s work on the Featured Stories page.

Oren Mayer

Oren Mayer, PhD
Senior Research Science Officer
Viral Special Pathogens Branch
Division of High Consequences Pathogens and Pathology
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Kindra Strokes

Kindra Stokes, PhD
Public Health Advisor
CDC’s Project Firstline
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Nicholas Wiese

Nicholas Wiese, PhD
Deputy Team Lead
Population Immunity Team
Polio and Picornavirus Branch
Division of Viral Diseases
CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

Evonne Woodson

Evonne Woodson, PhD
Data Modernization Initiative Fellow
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne, and Environmental Diseases
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Learn about Evonne’s work on the Featured Stories page.

Shannon York

Shannon York, PhD
Project Manager
Laboratory Preparedness and Response Branch
Division of Preparedness and Emerging Infections
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases

Sean Buono

Sean Buono, PhD
Laboratory Consultant
Laboratory Capacity Team
Mycobacteriology Laboratory Branch
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination
CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention

Christina Carlson

Christina Carlson, PhD, MPH, MSc
Microbiologist
Malaria Branch
Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria
CDC Center for Global Health

Brandi Freeman

Brandi Freeman, PhD, MS, MPH
Senior Research Scientist
CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Division of Bacterial Diseases
Respiratory Diseases Branch
Respiratory Virus Immunology Team

Kara Levinson

Kara Levinson, PhD, MPH
Deputy Director
Division of Laboratory Services
Tennessee Department of Health

Watch Kara’s TED-style Talk given at the 2019 EIS conference.

Erin Scherer

Erin Scherer, PhD
Assistant Professor
Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Emory University
Director
Hope Clinic Research Laboratory
Emory Vaccine Center

Ashutosh Wadhwa

Ashutosh Wadhwa, PhD, DVM, MS
Health Scientist
CDC Center for Global Health
International Laboratory Branch
Tuberculosis Clinical Monitoring Team

Randal Fowler

Randy Fowler, PhD
Chief of Mycobacteriology
NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Watch this video to hear how Randy’s field assignment in Minnesota allowed him to make a difference inside and outside the lab.

Margaret Hardy

Maggie Hardy, PhD
Chief Regulatory Scientist
Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority

Cecila Kretz

Cecilia Kretz, PhD
Manager, Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Association for Public Health Laboratories

Watch Cecilia’s TED-style Talk given at the 2019 EIS conference.

Watch this video to Cecilia share her personal and professional growth gained through her fellowship field assignment in New York.

Learn more about Cecilia’s career path and fellowship experience.

Marlon Lawrence

Marlon Lawrence, PhD
Employed at a public health laboratory; additional information not available.

David Lowe

David Lowe, PhD
(Acting) Lead of the Quality and Compliance Team
National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of High-Consequence Pathogens And Pathology

Watch David’s TED-style Talk to hear about his work on “Improving Rabies Animal Models for Medical Countermeasures through Luminescent Viruses” presented at the 2019 Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) conference.

Marinova Petkova

Atanaska Marinova-Petkova, DVM, MS, PhD
Senior Biologist
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention
Division Of Tuberculosis Elimination

Learn more about Atanaska’s career path and fellowship experience.

Rita Stinnett

Rita Stinnett, PhD, MHS
Program Manager, Research
IDbyDNA

Watch this video to hear Rita express why LLS is a challenge worth taking.

April Clayton

April Clayton, PhD
Senior Research Safety Manager
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Learn about April’s career path and fellowship experience.

Elizabeth Dietrich

Elizabeth Dietrich, PhD
Microbiologist
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of Vector-Borne Diseases

Kristine Kines

Kristine Kines, PhD, MSPH
Co-Lead, Virgin Islands Unit
CDC Office of Infectious Diseases
Office of the Director

Justine Pompey

Justine Pompey, PhD
Co-Lead, Virgin Islands Unit
CDC Office of Infectious Diseases
Office of the Director

Caelin Potts

Caelin Potts, PhD
Microbiologist
CDC National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Division of Bacterial Diseases

Watch this video to hear Caelin explain the fellowship’s dynamic learning environment and how it equips fellows to address urgent public health needs.

Learn about Caelin’s career path and fellowship experience.  Watch this CDC Facebook Live video to learn more about Caelin’s fellowship experiences and career path to LLS.

Jessica Ricaldi

Jessica Ricaldi, PhD, MD
Director of Tuberculosis Laboratory Quality Management
CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention
Division of Tuberculosis Elimination

Watch this CDC Facebook Live video to hear about Jessica’s fellowship experiences and career path to LLS.

Diana Riner

Diana Riner, PhD
Virology and Immunology Section Manager
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services

Watch this video to hear Diana discuss her LLS fellowship experiences.

Watch the Facebook video posted by the Michigan National Guard to hear Diana speak about the COVID-19 response while serving in her post-fellowship public health position.

Brunilis White

Brunilis White, PhD
Branch Project Manager
CDC National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and Tuberculosis Prevention
Division of Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention

Learn about Brunie’s work on “Initial Public Health Laboratory Response after Hurricane Maria,” featured at the 2018 Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS) conference.

Aufra Araujo

Aufra Araujo, PhD
Microbiologist
CDC Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology, and Laboratory Services
Division of Laboratory Systems

Watch Aufra’s TED-style Talk given at the 2019 EIS conference.

Shannon Keckler

Shannon Keckler, PhD, MPH
Coordinator, Branch Quality and Safety Management
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of Healthcare Quality Promotion

Anna Llewellyn

Anna Llewellyn, PhD
Global Polio Containment Officer
CDC Center for Global Health
Global Immunization Division

Alexandra Mercante

Alexandra Mercante, PhD
Quality Manager and Laboratory Safety Specialist
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases

Learn more about Alexandra’s career path and fellowship experience.

Peter Minchella

Peter Minchella, PhD
Epidemiologist
CDC Center for Global Health
Division of Global HIV and Tuberculosis

Shelia Okoth

Sheila Okoth, PhD
Quality Manager
CDC Office of Laboratory Science and Safety, Office of Laboratory Science

Zachery Weiner

Zachary Weiner, PhD
Lead, Quality and Compliance Team
CDC National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases
Division of High-Consequence Pathogens And Pathology

Learn more about Zachary’s career path and fellowship experience.